First Drive: 2009 Mini John Cooper Works

Mini Gets the Works: The JCW returns

Nothing Mini offers cuts through the cuteness like John Cooper Works. The JCW version returns in coupe or Clubman form, with two fewer ponies from the new, twin-scroll turbocharged aluminum 1.6L engine versus the old supercharged iron block.Now integrated within Mini, like BMW's M, JCW builds the cars at the factory, eliminating dealer-installation fees. For just under $30K, you get a JCW Challenge car for the road, featuring more robust engine parts, including new pistons. Compression ratio is 10.0:1, down from to 10.5:1 to reduce knock. New turbo housing is made of a stronger material. This allows JCW to turn up boost from the Cooper S' 0.9 bar to 1.3 bar. BMW's Dynamic Traction Control and Dynamic Stability Control are adapted for FWD, but the smoothest way around a twisty road is to turn them off and rely on the new electronic locking rear differential.

It's less edgy than the old JCW without that car's full-chat supercharger whine. Big dual exhaust pipes make the new engine's sound its best feature, though, a burbly drone with occasional little backfire-pops between shifts. The sport suspension is stiff, but equal-length half-shafts can't stave off torque steer when the turbo momentarily blips torque up to 207 lb-ft. Power out of a second-gear right-hander, for example, and you get a quickly corrected wheel-jerk to the left. Defenders of the Dodge Caliber SRT-4, to name one, will claim import bias, but somehow, front-drive performance aficionados will accept the torque steer as part of the JCW's rascally personality. Guess there's still a lot of cute left, after all.

If you have a V-8 muscle car that goes 0-60 in 4 secs. and weighs 4,000lbs, you'll leave me @ the line. But before the first corner, you can slow to 40 and accelerate back to 100 @ the end of the next straight, while I accelerate to 80 through the corner and continue to 120 by the end of the same stright in my JCW... and get 35 mpg doing it...

The interior can't be beat by any of the R32, MazdaSpeed 3, GTI etc.You are paying for a better interior, it's basically the Audi "look and feel" / finish work / interior accents compared to a Honda's accents.

I test drove the new Cobalt SS (2.0 D/I turbo) and I will say it moovvveeesss! Actually was impressed with ride and drive also....very tight feel. I will say this...up until now the MazdaSpeed 3 impressed me but this thing will give it all it wants. Honestly as I've mentioned above: I'm not an autocross man but at the strip it would give the EVO and STI all it wanted! There is a 4-door sedan version coming also...just wish it had a 6 speed manual.

I think its a really cool car to own and drive daily. Although, I do think its on the pricey side of the sport compact world, I think its a nice alternative to the Civics and Cobalts. I went for a ride in my buddys Si and heard the Vtec kick...but felt nothing. Sounded real strong,but it felt the same before the Vtec. So if you want a "cool" sounding engine that doesnt really move,get the Si.

I will admit that I'm not a road coarse racer so might not get this car's potential in that area...but as said that's not my kind of racing. For 30K you could get a Mazdaspeed3, GTI 2.0T or hell the Cobalt SS (Turbo)...they would all blow the doors off the Mini and have change in your pocket. As for the Honda Civic....it's nothing more than noise, meaning it moans and groans when the VTEC starts turning up but it just don't go anywhere.

While I can see the GTI comparison here, I still wouldn't discount this little car based on the price difference. You're paying for a different kind of car. Yes, that in the long run means nothing when you're only a few thousand below the R32, but still, it's something you can throw around more than you can a GTI. I spent $2000+ on my GTI to have it handle like the Mini does out of the box.That being said...the Mini doesn't feel as quick as the new 2.0t...I don't care what the numbers claim.

there is no way i would by this for that money and the k20 honda civic si is on the market. in my opinion the si is the best sport compact money can buy. and that k20 has loads of potential plus theres the bonus of hearing that vtec sing.

the 211/258 is what the Audi A4 is running. But for a measly 600 dollars you can flash the current GTI to 300/290 well 270/265 at the wheels. The DSG can already handle the extra power but will need suspension mods.

given current fuel prices...this car sounds like a very practical sports car...i don't think any other car in this price class would outhandle this thing. cool car, though i don't quite see myself driving one of these things....out in southern california these things have a negative stigma that comes along with purchase. not that there's anything wrong with that

I think the electronic rear diff is interesting too considering this is a FWD car with no power going to the rear. I see the comments about gti bias but you must keep in mind, it technically really is fair to compare the GTI to the Mini Cooper S and not the JCW version since no one aftermarket wise is building the GTI from the factory. If you're into tuner cars, you should also know you would have one monster of a GTI if you spent the 6K extra it would've cost to buy the Mini on upgrades such as suspension and turbo. Nuff said...

i would not say choose the gti until the next generation comes out your car might have the same horse output but understand the mini handles better and is faster by around .8 seconds 0 - 60 and provides better grip on the skidpad so no dont get a gti until next year when the torque is 258 ft/lbs and the horsepower jumps to 211.